bird

Green-Winged Macaw

Ara chloropterus

The green-winged macaw is often mistaken for a large scarlet macaw at a glance, since both are predominantly red-bodied, but two field marks separate them reliably: the green-winged carries a broad band of genuinely green covert feathers across the upper wing (where a scarlet macaw shows yellow), and its otherwise bare white facial patch is marked with fine rows of small red feathers running across the cheek — a distinctive 'feather-lined face' this species has and the blue-and-gold macaw's largely unmarked white-and-black facial patch does not. It is also simply bigger and heavier-bodied than the blue-and-gold macaw, with one of the largest beaks of any parrot species relative to body size, built for cracking exceptionally hard palm nuts and seed pods. Despite that intimidating bill, green-winged macaws have a strong, widely reported reputation among aviculturists and keepers as unusually calm, gentle, and even-tempered for a large macaw — often described as the 'gentle giant' of the macaw world, a reputation distinct from the more classically outgoing, sometimes more excitable blue-and-gold. The core large-parrot husbandry principles — cage size as only a base station, daily out-of-cage flight and enrichment time, room-proofing, a pelleted-and-fresh-food diet, and the wing-clip and cage-versus-out-time debates — apply to this species essentially the same way they apply to any giant macaw, so a keeper researching general macaw housing and enrichment standards will find that material directly relevant here rather than needing a separate framework.

Husbandry

Enclosure size

Given the species' heavier build relative to other giant macaws, aviaries and cages toward the upper end of the standard large-macaw range (roughly 4ft wide, 3ft deep, and 5-6ft tall or more) suit this bird better than a minimum-spec enclosure; the cage functions as a base rather than the bird's main living space, since hours of daily supervised time outside it are part of baseline care for this taxon

Source: Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) large-parrot housing guidance (checked 2026-05-10)

Temperature gradient

Ordinary indoor household temperatures suit this species, roughly 65-80°F (18-27°C), with no special heating or cooling equipment required beyond avoiding direct drafts and unshielded vents that would create a sudden temperature swing right at the cage

Source: Merck Veterinary Manual — Pet Bird Housing (checked 2026-05-10)

Diet

This species' unusually large, powerful beak is built specifically for cracking exceptionally hard palm nuts, so whole in-shell nuts (Brazil nuts, walnuts, macadamias) offered as part of the diet do double duty as nutrition and as demanding, appropriate beak work, alongside a pelleted base and a wide rotation of fresh vegetables and modest fruit; a seed-heavy diet undersupplies nutrients this bird's size and metabolism need

Source: Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) nutrition guidance (checked 2026-05-10)

Supplementation

A nutritionally complete pelleted base generally removes the need for routine added vitamins or minerals; where a vet identifies a specific deficiency or life-stage need, supplementation should follow that individual guidance rather than a standard blanket regimen

Source: Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) nutrition guidance (checked 2026-05-10)

Cohabitation

Pairing this species with an unfamiliar bird carries meaningful risk given the beak strength involved, so introductions need real caution and space; a single, closely bonded human-and-bird household or a properly established bonded pair are the two workable long-term setups

Source: Merck Veterinary Manual — Pet Bird Behavior (checked 2026-05-10)

Handling

Long-time aviculturists routinely single out the green-winged macaw as more even-tempered and biddable, on average, than several other large macaws, and that reputation is one of the main reasons keepers seek the species out specifically. That said, its beak is proportionally larger and stronger than a blue-and-gold's, and an overstimulated or startled bird can bite hard without any actual hostility behind it — the gentler average disposition lowers the odds of trouble, but it doesn't remove the physical stakes of a beak this size. New keepers still benefit from the standard large-parrot groundwork of step-up training, learning individual body-language cues, and letting the bird set the pace of physical contact, treating a calm reputation as a favorable starting point rather than a shortcut past that process. Individual history matters too: a green-winged macaw that has passed through multiple homes, or was poorly socialized as a juvenile, can take considerably longer to extend trust than the species' general reputation would suggest.

Signs of good health

• A full, even coat of feathers with no bald patches, excess down scattered in the cage, or visible stress bars crossing individual feather shafts
• The rows of small red feathers along the white facial patch intact and evenly distributed, without thinning or irritated skin showing through
• A hearty, consistent appetite and normal-volume droppings that hold their usual form for that individual bird
• A large but proportionate beak with no flaking, overgrowth, or asymmetry, despite the unusual size and cracking force this species' beak is built for
• Weight holding steady on a home scale checked weekly — this species' dense plumage conceals a slow downward trend from casual visual inspection

Common problems

14 common bird problems are tracked for this species; 0 have full guides published so far.

Recommended gear for Green-Winged Macaw

Equipment categories that are genuinely correct for this species' welfare needs — see the full Gear Guide for the complete list.

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